Bond projects continue over the summer months

WARREN/CENTER LINE/STERLING HEIGHTS — During the summer break, crews are busy working at various schools to complete several building updates made possible through local bond issues.

A bond proposal is developed by the school district and presented to the voters for approval. When a bond proposal passes, the bonds are sold in the capital markets at a date determined by the district, a financial advisor and an underwriter. Upon closing, funds generated from the bond sale are deposited in the district’s construction fund and are available to spend for completion of the projects contemplated in the bond proposal.

The Warren Weekly emailed local school officials to get more information about the different projects underway this summer.

 

Center Line Public Schools
According to Superintendent Joseph Haynes, work is being done at the Center Line High School parking lots and on the roof. Crews also are repairing the driveways at Wolfe Middle School and completing a blacktop playground refresh at Crothers Elementary School.

PARTNERS In Architecture, PLC, based in Mount Clemens, is the architect. The firm McCarthy and Smith, of Farmington Hills, is the construction manager. All the work is being done with a $17 million capital improvement bond proposal that voters approved in May 2023.

 

Van Dyke Public Schools
Work is scheduled to begin at various buildings with funds from the district’s $36.1 million bond issue.

“Van Dyke Public Schools will be starting summer work related to our bond that passed in November 2024,” Superintendent Piper Bognar said. “The first projects are the replacement of the roof at both Lincoln Middle School and the Kennedy Early Childhood Center; replacement of selected interior doors at Lincoln Middle School and Lincoln High School; and the parking lot at the Kennedy Early Childhood Center.  More projects will commence once those are completed.”

The Kennedy parking lot improvements are designed to make parking and dropping off students easier for parents. The door replacements at the middle and high schools will provide added safety and security.

“The roofs at both Kennedy and Lincoln Middle School will improve the physical buildings, eliminating leaks and other damages caused by the aging infrastructure,” Bognar said.   

More information about the bond projects can be found on the district’s website at vdps.net/page/2024-bond.

 

Warren Consolidated Schools
In May 2022, WCS voters approved a $150 million bond to address capital needs across the district. This summer, several projects are under construction. General renovations are occurring at Black Elementary, Willow Woods Elementary and Carleton Middle School. The work includes updates to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, new HVAC controls, new LED lighting in select areas, new flooring in select areas and site enhancements. Sterling Heights High School is receiving interior renovations.

According to Superintendent John Bernia, the summer construction is expected to be completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The overall bond work is planned to be completed over the course of seven years from 2022-2028. The 2022 WCS bond program is being funded by the sales of three bond series with many projects.

Officials said the WCS bond issue is designed to help ensure the district’s facilities remain up to date and continue to provide a proper learning environment. The bond also provides the district with state-of-the-art technology to be used daily by staff and students to interact and collaborate. Clark Construction Company, headquartered in Lansing with an office in Auburn Hills, is the construction manager. Wakley Associates Architects, located in Warren, is the architect.

 

Warren Woods Public Schools
There are plenty of projects scheduled to be completed this summer in the Warren Woods district.

New playground equipment and new media center flooring will be installed at Westwood, Briarwood and Pinewood elementary schools.

Briarwood will receive new interior and exterior classroom doors. Briarwood also will receive new classroom HVAC units as will Westwood Enterprise High School and Warren Woods Middle School.

During the summer, new rooftop HVAC units will be installed at Pinewood, Westwood and the middle school. When Pinewood staff and students return to school this fall, they’ll notice new carpet.

A roof replacement is scheduled for Westwood. New classrooms doors and door hardware and new site lighting is scheduled for Warren Woods-Tower High School. Large equipment also is on site at Warren Woods and Enterprise high schools as workers complete parking lot replacements.

Bathroom renovations are scheduled at the Early Childhood Center and Warren Woods Adult Education.

The projects are being funded from $27.7 million of the 2025 capital project bonds that passed in May 2020. The 2025 bonds are the second series of bonds from the May 2020 bond vote. Wakely Associates Architects is an architectural firm; Clark Construction Company is the construction manager.

 

Fitzgerald Public Schools
Community members who reside in the Fitzgerald Public Schools district will be asked to consider two ballot proposals for the Aug. 5 election.

School officials are placing a $42 million bond initiative on the ballot and a second proposal to combine the school district’s two current sinking funds into one.

According to school officials, the $42 million bond is a zero-tax-rate increase, and it will focus on three areas: enhancing safety and security; enhancing educational spaces and technology; and upgrading school infrastructure and sites.

The sinking fund replacement proposal, if approved, would combine the two current sinking funds levied by the school district into a single fund, which will result in a slight tax reduction for residents.

For more information about the proposals, visit fitz.k12.mi.us.